Direct Metal Laser Sintering — The Process That Changed Metal Manufacturing
Direct Metal Sintering is a dedicated resource for DMLS technology — the powder bed fusion process invented by EOS GmbH in 1987 that has become the backbone of metal additive manufacturing in aerospace, medical devices, and industrial tooling.
DMLS works by scanning a Yb:fiber laser (200–400W) across a bed of pre-alloyed powder (20–100 µm layer), fully melting each cross-section to build up a 99.5%-dense metal part without tooling. Despite the name, the process fully melts (not merely sinters) the powder.
Why DMLS Specifically
Among metal AM processes — DMLS, EBM, binder jetting, DED — DMLS dominates aerospace and medical certification because it produces the tightest tolerances (±0.003"), highest surface finish (Ra 4–8 µm as-built), and most-documented mechanical properties across the widest alloy range.
Published by Ben Stagl and Max Davis as part of the Metal 3D Printing Network.